NASCAR gave iRacing a whirl Sunday afternoon, and fans ate it up.
The COVID-19 outbreak has forced NASCAR, like many other professional sports leagues in the United States, to seek an alternative way to race. It prompted NASCAR to devise a multi-week eNASCAR iRacing Pro Invitational Series, allowing racers to compete online instead.
The series began Sunday at a virtual Homestead-Miami Speedway, featuring some pretty flashy graphics and an impressive broadcast. Fans (both big and small) took to Twitter to share their thoughts.
(Hint: They all loved it.)
@iRacing @NASCARONFOX This is the coolest thing ever! Thank you NASCAR for finding a way to keep your fans entertained! Go @KyleLarsonRacin !!!! #nascar #iracing #FS1 pic.twitter.com/KzVN6Czxie
— Attack on Show (@attackonshow) March 22, 2020
It’s so cool that @NASCAR and @iRacing have come together for their fans! No other sport has this option! Sending a virtual high five! 🖐🏼😋
— Amy Earnhardt (@AmyEarnhardt) March 22, 2020
This NASCAR race on FS1 is pretty crazy. The graphics are good enough that if you don’t know it was a video game you could pass it off as real.
— RedditCFB (@RedditCFB) March 22, 2020
This is a much-needed dose of medicine for the collective psyche of NASCAR Nation. And at least on my Twitter timeline, 100% of those watching – with the exception of the one media guy who hates everything – think it’s awesome.
— . (@Karrion_WWE) March 22, 2020
This broadcast gets a 10/10 so far. Putting the entire sports world on notice right now. #NASCAR #ProInvitationalSeries
— Eric Estepp (@EricEstepp17) March 22, 2020
We can’t wait to see what the next race brings, and it seems like the fans can’t either.